The present invention relates to a driver-side restraining gas bag system for vehicles, comprising a gas source arranged clear of the steering wheel for filling the gas bag arranged on the steering wheel hub and a gas duct means arranged between the gas source and the inlet of the gas bag.
In a driver restraining gas bag system it is customary for a pyrotechnic gas generator to be integrated in the hub of the steering wheel. The gas generator is fired by an electrical pulse, which is furnished by a deceleration sensor.
In order to economize in the space required to accommodate the gas generator in the hub of the steering wheel and to do without rotary couplings for the source of the electrical pulse to the gas generator which is fixed in the steering wheel hub, there has already been a proposal, see the German patent publication 4,011,429 A1, to arrange the gas source clear of the steering wheel. The gas source comprises a plurality of compressed gas containers, which are fixedly mounted in the vehicle. From each compressed gas container there extends a duct to a rotary coupling, which consists of a stationary distribution disk and a distribution disk which runs thereon and is able to turn with the steering wheel hub. Such a rotary coupling is complex to produce and owing to the friction between the distribution disks may impair free rotation of the steering wheel.